Description of the Prior Art
Various home appliances including heating and air-conditioning systems often require timing devices for cyclic operations. Timing devices are now sold which allow home owners to automatically turn a clock or television on for a selected time period in their absence to simulate occupancy of the house or apartment while they are away. Other devices are known which, for example turn a heating or air-conditioning on during selected time periods of the day or night to maintain a home at a minimum comfort level as shown in my pending patent application Ser. No. 383,538 filed June 1, 1982. Also, washing machines and other common household appliances including clock radios may have a timing apparatus built-in which provides the user with some type of periodic operation.
The prior art devices heretofore mentioned are generally set and operate for a prescribed cycle within a short period of time which may be, for example 24 hours. Thereafter, in the next 24 hours the same operational cycle is repeated and continues for as long as required. The disadvantages of conventional timers are apparent as for example if a lamp is connected to a timer which is activated at seven p.m. each day and is deactivated at five a.m. the following morning, a professional burglar could readily determine that the dwelling was unoccupied and being automatically illuminated. To the contrary, if the lights were being turned on and off at different times then the potential burglar would be more reluctant to enter the premises and would probably look for a more vulnerable location.
With this background and knowledge in mind the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a timing device for appliances or the like with a plurality of selected time cycles.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a timing device which can be activated from a remote location.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a timing device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is reliable in operation.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a timing device having solenoid means to activate cam wheel means contained therein for selected time periods.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method for supplying electrical current to appliances or the like in a dependable, economical fashion.
Various other objectives and advantages of the invention will be demonstrated below.